I Know Who I Am
by Smokey Moonshine
Summary: Undertaker was always an odd man. Unloved and feared by all. He was prepared for it to stay that way until the sun blew up, until a new flower started to bloom. He found a girl he cared about. That he loved. But no love is easy to keep. Especially when the one he loves is being chased by the Shinigami.
1. The Girl Wearing Fur

William T. Spears walked down the halls of the Dispatch, angry and confused. For almost a month now, new trainees had simply been disappearing into thin air without a trace. It happened only in the dead of night, and no one knew what was going on. The higher-ups thought it was a sign, but Will thought that was impossible.. At first, it wasn't his problem, until Grell disappeared a few nights ago. Now it was his problem, and he was faced with the daunting task of having to go to Undertaker's to seek help. It wasn't that he didn't WANT to go, it was that he wasn't in the mood to deal with the legend's insanity. But, an order is an order. So, he grabbed his Scythe, some paperwork and overtime, his Death List, and returned to the human world.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Meanwhile, while ran beat down and all the homes were closed gloomily, smoke piped merrily from a certain shop and warm light filled the morgue. Inside it was warm and dry, and at a table made of a coffin, two figures laughed merrily, drinking warm tea to banish the cold.

One was a girl of about fourteen with long, curly blonde hair, bright green eyes like the greenest of leaves, a face with sharp features, and the long, too big black robes of the Undertaker. Many piece of fur clothing dried by the fire. The girl's skin was sun kissed, obviously a result of having spent years in the sun, and her body lean. Her feet were bare, and her legs were covered in many different scars. Undertaker had been around the forest, gathering wood when he'd found the young girl, looking confused as she pressed her ear up against trees. He'd called gently to her, as to not to scare her, but had broken a twig before he could speak. This had sent the younger up the tree, and the two had a few long, tense moments, before she climbed down and agreed to return with Undertaker. Both went to Undertaker's shop, where they were now. Undertaker gave her some robes to wear while hers dried, and poured some tea. Now, the two acted as the best of friends, talking and laughing while the rain and wind howled outside.

The girl stopped laughing, her nose tilted up, smelling. Her face was frozen in concentration, and she leapt up, upsetting the aesthetics of the table.

"I'm sorry Mr. Undertaker but I need to go. The odds will not be in my favor soon. Please take care of my pelt and I promise to take care of your robes."

She leapt over coffins and ran towards the door. She threw it open, and Undertaker followed her, but by the time he stood outside in the rain, she had already been swallowed by darkness. Gone, without a trace. Confused, and with an impending feeling of doom, Undertaker trudged back in, shaking the water out of him robes and ringing out his long hair. He closed the door with his foot and changed his robes into something dryer, as the wet fabric was becoming clingy.

Moments after he'd changed comfortably, there was a knock at the door.

"The door is unlocked!"

William T. Spears, drenched with his suit clinging to his body, trudged in, his head bowed and shoulders slumped. William glanced up,

"Sir, I, as a representative of all of the Shinigami, humbly request your help for an important mission."


	2. A Spirit

Undertaker cackled and plopped down on the coffin and producing an urn of bone cookies from his sleeve. The elder man began nibbling on one, offering the jar to the younger, who shook his head, saying,

"No, thank you sir. Please, this is of great importance. Something has been luring away all of the trainees, and even some of the new Reapers. I've done some investigation, and I believe I have found the culprit, but I was hoping for some of your opinions."

Undertaker was interested. Swallowing the rest of his cookie, he reached in for another and nodded that the Reaper should present his findings. William pushed his glasses up, rummaging through his jacket pockets, beginning,

"I've done some looking, and was very surprised when the Book of Supernatural Pests did not yield any help. However, late into the night, I continued reviewing the Book, and an old, crumpled, half destroyed page floated to my feet. I set about immediately to trying to decipher it, and was startled to learn it was about a spirit. It was a legend about a long time ago, when a dog spent its entire life searching the forest its master, who got lost during a hunting trip. It never found the master, and died trying. It is said, that the spirit was so powerful, the desire to protect was so strong, it created a body for itself, that could interact with those still living. The spirit still searches for its master, but the pull of the spirit's loyalty and its need to protect, sometimes lure the young and unable to protect themselves away. They follow the spirit. I believe this is what is happening. This spirit needs to be reaped and put to rest. Have you ever heard this legend? Or encountered a spirit like this?"

He grinned.

_She was just in my shop~_

He cackled and waved his hand dismissively,

"No~ I don't believe I have~"

The man sighed and bowed again.

"Well, if you do hear or see more of this spirit, please contact us. In the meantime, I must go and organize the rabble. I have been put in charge of a sector of Reapers who will be setting up a trap in the forest for this spirit."

He turned to leave, when Undertaker purred,

"William my boy~ What about the payment for my services~?"

Aforementioned Reaper's shoulders dropped and he sighed.

"I was hoping you had forgotten..."

"Now now~ Don't be so down~ Did that page happen to have a picture of this spirit?"

He perked up.

"Yes,"

William went through his pockets again before finding a scroll.

"why?"

"Let me have the picture, and I'll call us square~"

William was more than happy to oblige. He all but shoved the picture into the superior's hands.

"Good evening, sir."

A portal opened, and the Reaper was gone. Undertaker all but tore the scroll open. He had to look. He had to stare at the picture. That hair. The eyes. The wild and untamed feeling even a picture communicated. He let out a raspy fake breath he didn't know he was holding.

_Yes...The girl who was in my shop...She is the one..._


	3. Too Late

Undertaker waited. He stayed awake day and night, sitting next to the fireplace at night, waiting for the girl, Ebony, to come back for her furs. He had to warm her, so he had to stay awake. But after four days of not sleeping, which was a Shinigami necessity, it was getting harder and harder for him to stay awake. The fire at his side warmed him, trying to pull him into sleep, but beyond the fire, in the cold of the shadows, it was dark and calm. Perfect for sleep. But he shook his head and sat with more resolute determination. He began stroking the furs, gently untangling the long, soft strands. He began to nod off, but woke himself up each time.

He yawned and shifted so he could lean back on one elbow, but soon laid on the warm tile, resting his head in the sweet-smelling furs, continuing to run his fingers through the fur. He was, so calm, so tired, so, warm. He felt protected, and could almost feel a dog sitting at his head, protecting him. His eyes began to close as he murmured,

"Oh Ebony...Come back soon..."

Sleep pulled him under.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

A cold feeling on one side of his face began waking him up. He groaned and grasped around for the soft warmth but couldn't find it. He groaned and inched around, keeping his eyes closed. He plunged his hand into a gritty, loose substance, causing an acrid smell to hit his nose.

_Ash!_

His eyes opened and he sat up quickly, yanking his ashy hand away to look at it. He realized the furs were gone, and the fire had gone out long ago. A piece of paper fluttered off his cheek. He dislodged it from the floor with his fingernails.

Mr. Undertaker, yes, I'd love to meet you on the forest path. I'll wait there tonight! - Ebony

His gasped, remembering he'd put a little note in the fur's pocket, asking if Ebony wanted to meet him in the forest, and he'd forgotten to take it out. Now that Ebony had gotten her furs, she was long gone. Undertaker's other robes she'd used were draped on a coffin. It was too late. He'd been too late.

_William's trap...She'll be killed! Unless I get there first!_


	4. Meeting Point

Undertaker, his hat long discarded and his robe shrugged off, leapt through the forest at speeds he hadn't attained since his days in the Academy. His hair was pulled back and his bangs shook to the sides so he could see in the dark forest. He knew he didn't have much time left. He could sense the other Shinigami's arrival. He could almost touch the aggravation and fear that permeated the air as he got closer to the mob of Shinigami gathered at the path's beginning. Around Undertaker's neck, a long black chain swung side to side. It had a black gem on it that was about the same size and thickness of a quarter. There was a little white scythe stamped on it. The necklace held Scythe Essence. His Scythe Essence. Scythe Essence was very rare. Most Shinigami didn't have their Scythes long enough, or have gone through enough hard missions or times with their Scythe, to develop that type of bond between Scythe and wielder. Scythe Essence was a type of energy that would emit off the Scythe in waves or vapors once the wielder and Scythe had been together for a very long time and had developed a strong bond. Sometime after the Black Plague, Undertaker's Scythe started giving off Scythe Essence. Undertaker had harvested it the second it started coming off. It allowed him to summon his Scythe no matter where either of them were. Typically, a Shinigami could only summon their Scythe as long as it was unobstructed. With Scythe Essence he could summon it from anywhere no matter where it was.

The massive trees and the grasses disappeared and were replaced by a large field and prim and proper trees all set in two rows on either side of a dirt path. He topped immediately, slipping into the shadows to avoid being noticed by the group of many hundred Shinigami chattering lowly fifty yards away from him. Carefully, he scanned his situation.

All of the Shinigami were armed. Some hid in the tree tops or around the trees. The other ones on the ground were all clustered around a main point, which Undertaker could only assume was William T. Spears, leader of the mission. Undertaker glanced up at the moon that hung above him, full and ominous.

A hush settled over the clearing. Undertaker felt fear split the air. He looked back at the clearing.

Ebony had arrived. She was standing beneath a hidden onslaught of the Shinigami in the trees. The ones on the ground held her at Scythe point. Still, Ebony stood there, always calm, and even a little bored. She was dressed in tight, silver furs that shone like the moon above. There were others too. Peeking from the bushes, were all the Shinigami trainees who had gone missing. But they weren't Shinigami. Not any more. Their eyes were wild, and shone with the light of a wild animal. William adjusted his glasses.

"Ebony Black! In the name of Shinigami Law, I, William T. Spears, charge you with multiple accounts of kidnapping and trying to take the young and impressionable trainees under your evil spell. In the name of common decency, surrender, and we will make your death quick!"

But Ebony didn't respond. Monotonously, she replied,

"I did not intentionally lure away the trainees."

"Nonetheless, you are a demon, and must be killed."

"I am not a demon."

"Nor are you human nor angel, so what do you think you must be!?"

"...I do not know…"

Ebony looked interested now as she pondered William's question. Taking advantage of the distraction, the Shinigami on foot took a menacing step forward. Ebony snapped out of her interest and took a step back, one clawed hand raising slightly. Monotonously, she said,

"I know what I am, they know what they are, so let me be."

For each step forward the Shinigami took, Ebony took a step back and rose her claws slightly, repeating the same sentence.

"I know what I am, they know what they are, so let me be."

Once about ten trees were between them, Ebony's claws surged like lightning and she swiped, leaping back, but never taking her eyes off the Shinigami. The ground rumbled and ten trees fell in splinters and huge limbs. This created an uproar. The Shinigami in the trees and a few on the ground were crushed. The trees kicked up a cloud of dust, concealing Ebony's escape. In the dust, a voice floated back,

"I know what I am, they know what they are, so let me be."

All the Shinigami stood in shock for a while. William was the first to come to his senses,

"All of you! Come with me!"

William led the ground a few steps, but Undertaker, the ruby eyes in his Scythe gleaming with anger. The Shinigami all gasped and back off, Undertaker's name muttered through the crowd. The legend was frowning.

"You all are in danger here. Go back to work. Me and Ebony are old colleagues."

Without another word, he turned and leapt into the forest.


	5. Ebony Black

Undertaker wandered through the deep, dark forest, calling out softly,

"Ebony!? Ebony Black!?"

There wasn't a sound except for the wind sighing through the dead, thing, wide-spaced, ghostly white trees.

In the distance, he saw a golden light cutting through the darkness. He walked towards it quickly.

It was a wide, tall, healthy brown tree glowing with a golden light. The tree was healthy and alive. Ebony laid beneath the tree, back pressed to the tree, head resting on the chest of a skeleton. She didn't stir as Undertaker approached slowly. He got closer, and settled on his knees, setting his Scythe aside. Ebony was stretched out as a dog lays on the floor. Her eyes were closed, and she was smiling a little, her ear pressed to the chest as if listening for something.

Undertaker reached out to lay his hand on Ebony's shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open and her smiled widened a bit. Softly, Undertaker asked,

"Was, this your master? All those years ago?"

"...Yes Mr. Undertaker..."

Both were silent for a while. Ebony asked tiredly,

"Mr. Undertaker, are you here to collect my soul?"

He nodded as his long nails gently danced along the blade of his Scythe. Ebony sighed and shifted to one of her hands could rest on the chest of the skeleton beside her chin. Her eyes closed and she murmured,

"I'm ready…"

Undertaker stood, picking up his Scythe, trying to remain calm. He whispered,

"Don't worry, Ebony. It won't hurt."

He raised his Scythe and brought it down into her head. The Record reeled.

_A young noble scurried through the rain. He was only eleven and the rain was angry. The grey-eyed boy was lost in London, his pale blonde hair sticking to his face. The boy slid down the side of the building, wrapping his father's too big black trench coat around his soaked under clothes. He drew his knees to his chest, closed his eyes, and rested his chin on his knees._

_He only had a moment's_ _rest when he heard a little yip. He opened his eyes and looked to his left._

_A little puppy with long black fur yipped at him. Its fur was stuck to its body and it was shaking. It had forest green eyes that blazed as it tried to act tough. The boy smiled and reached out a hand to pet it. The pup yipped and bit his hand. He drew back, and stared into the rain._

_A while later, he felt something small and cold pushing against his leg. He looked down to see the little bundle curled against his leg. He smiled and shielded it with some of the coat._

_The next morning, the boy's parents found him. He pleaded to keep the little pup. His parents agreed, and the pup was named Ebony Black._

_Five years later, the noble had raised Ebony Black into a mighty black hunting dog. She was loyal to her master and always stayed by his side. The father took the son and Ebony Black on a hunting trip. Ebony Black carried her master's gun in her mouth as the father and son walked through the forest. As they walked, the son saw a massive black bear, but his father made no notice. He followed his father, and Ebony followed her master._

_Later that night, the master crept from the camp with his gun to hunt the bear. While he found the bear, he did not kill it. Instead, it killed him, leaving him to bleed out under a tree. That morning, the father and Ebony Black searched for hours before giving up and going home._

_Once home, Ebony Black stopped eating. She was in great grief, and less than a month after her master died, she did too._

_After a while, the bones of the dead dog began to rattle and reform. There was glowing light, and when it cleared, Ebony Black was reborn, but as a human, not a dog. She struggled to her two legs, and looked around._

_She spent years as a human, wandering far and wide, looking, but never finding._

Once the Record stopped, Undertaker knew Ebony was dead. He smiled and patted her head.

"...Good dog…"

He turned and walked away. The light of the tree cleared, and the once healthy tree became like all the others. The skeleton of the boy remained, but now there was a skeleton of a dog with its head and paw on the chest cavity of its master.


	6. Thank You

After many hours, Undertaker stood, his joints cracking in protest. He wiped sweat from his brow and smiled, looking over the fifteen freshly-dug graves complete with hand-carved grave stones and sweet-smelling flowers. The two he was most proud of were the two he had made before carving the other thirteen stones. The two stones were side by side. One read "EBONY BLACK" and the other "EARL FORESTWAY".

He sighed and stabbed his shovel into the ground before the graves. He put one foot on the shovel, crossed his arms on the handle, closed his eyes, and leaned forward slightly, sighing.

The cold air that swirled all around him grew harsher, and he cracked his eyes open.

A young man with short blonde hair, grey eyes, hunting cloths and a musket, case a lean, build, and fair skin stood behind the grave labeled "EARL FORESTWAY". His eyes were full of compassion and kindness. Large white wings stretched out behind him.

Sitting at his side, was a large, short-haired black dog with bright green eyes. It carried a gun in its mouth and had wings like its master.

Undertaker smiled.

The boy, Earl Forestway, smiled and said,

"Thank you, Undertaker. For taking care of my dog."

He turned and began to walk, getting dimmer. The dog stayed where it was and lowered its head to put the gun on the ground. It sat back up to look into Undertaker's hidden eyes and spoke,

"Thank you...Mr. Undertaker."

It picked up the gun again, turned, and walked after its fading master. The wind gusted through again, and the two disappeared on the wind. Undertaker looked up at the sky, smiling, as a single silver tear ran down his cheek.

_Thank you...Mr. Undertaker..._


End file.
